Abstract:
Strawberry production in Nahaeo district, Loei province, generally starts in October. The major problem occurs during February and March when there is a heavy rainfall leading to anthracnose and fruit rot to the strawberries. Therefore, the low-cost plastic tunnel was applied to protect strawberries from the heavy rainfall problem. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of a cultural practice and substrate on growth and quality of strawberry. In the first crop, strawberries
were planted in 4 low cost plastic tunnels from December 2006 to April 2007. The strawberry number 329 (Yael) was used in the experimentation to compare the effect of growth in the tunnels and in the field. The size of the tunnel was 2 x 24 x 2.5 meters. The study results indicated that the strawberries grown in tunnels had bigger bush size than those grown in the field. In the tunnels, the average bush size was 377.03 cm2, compared to 355.35 cm2 in the field. After harvest, the quality of
fruit parameters in terms of weight, volume, the diameter of strawberry which was equal or bigger than 2.5 cm. and fruit firmness in tunnel was lower than in the field, The finding revealed that the temperatures between inside and outside the tunnels was insignificant. However, it was found that the plastic roof of tunnel seems to falling down during raining then, the researcher adjusted new type of tunnel in the next experimental-year.
The second crop started from September 2007 to April 2008. The daughter plants of strawberry variety 'the 329 (Yael)' came from Chiang Mai province and Phetchaboon Research Station, Phetchaboon province. The daughter plants were planted under 4 triangular roof tunnels. The size of the tunnel was 2 x 20 x 2.5 meters. The strawberries were planted on soil, paddy with soil in a ratio of 1:2 and coil with soil in a ratio of 1:2. Different wide beds were 50 and 75 centimeters. The results indicated that the treatment with Daughter plants from Chiang Mai grown in paddy with soil in a ratio of 1:2 on 50 centimeters wide of beds had 259.25 cm2 of the bush size, the total quantity of strawberries, the quantity of strawberries with the diameter of 2.5 ern. or bigger and the total weight were higher than other treatments. The temperatures between inside and outside the tunnels were significant by different with 99 % of confidence.
The financial analysis of strawberry production investment ofthe strawberry production investment for the low-cost plastic tunnel was 189.94 baht per square meter. Investment for the triangular roof tunnels was 449.92 baht per square meter and in the farmer field was 32.73 baht per square meter. Assumed that strawberry price and investment cost are constant, and the yield of strawberry production is 300 grams per plant, then the investment of strawbeny production in field and tunnel
will be financially feasible because the Net Present Value (NPV) was 309.14 and 92.73 baht, consecutively.